The number of suspected Ebola cases still under investigation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has dropped sharply to 116, the country’s health ministry said Wednesday.

The decline came after many previously listed suspected cases were tested and ruled out, World Health Organisation (WHO) spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said on Tuesday.

A DRC Health Ministry report released on May 27 said the country had recorded 1,077 suspected Ebola cases as of May 26.

Mr Lindmeier told reporters that during the outbreak, anyone identified through surveillance or seeking treatment at a healthcare facility with Ebola-like symptoms was initially considered a suspected case until testing confirmed otherwise.

“After laboratory tests, many of those cases were ruled out, with some found to be malaria, meningitis or other unrelated illnesses,” he said.

According to the latest DRC health ministry update, as of Monday, the country had reported more than 340 confirmed Ebola cases, including 60 deaths.

A total of six patients have recovered, up by one from the previous day, while 173 suspected cases are in isolation.

The WHO declared the Ebola outbreak in the DRC a public health emergency of international concern on May 17.

The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment. 

(Xinhua/NAN)